The Duff by Kody Keplinger

The Duff:
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.



Kody Keplinger's debut novel was a huge success. It's a story about change, loyalty and dynamic relationships. The characters were natural and easy to relate to, Bianca's voice is so strong I found it difficult to put the book down. Bianca is a strong young woman and knows exactly who she is, but that doesn't change the fact that every time Wesley calls her Duffy, it hurts. Behind her tough facade Bianca is hurting and she turns to Wesley instead of her trusted friends Casey and Jessica. Hiding the secret of her life at home is tearing Bianca apart, but her embarrassment overrides her thoughts of trusting others with the truth. Until one night her father goes too far and Wesley is there to witness it. At first Bianca simply wanted to use Wesley's body as an escape from reality, but as she gets to know him on a more personal level, she discovers that they have a lot in common and her feelings toward him are changing. Bianca's honesty and "take no crap from anyone" attitude begin to have an effect on Wesley and he begins to question his own views on life, and suddenly he finds that his feelings for her have gone beyond physical need.